Melissa Hansen

As Ted Lasso reminds us, “Just listen to your gut…And on your way down to your gut, check in with your heart. Between those two things, they’ll let you know what’s what.” He does not mention that the journey can be long, poorly lit, or difficult to access. Sometimes the path is blocked altogether. I see therapy as a place to slow down, understand what has made that path difficult to navigate, and gradually create more room for clarity, connection, and choice.

I work with individuals, couples and families, navigating change, uncertainty, grief, or a growing sense that something in their lives no longer feels sustainable. Maybe feeling burned out, irritable, disconnected & doom scrolling, struggling with self-worth, anxious catastrophizing, a loud inner critic, or experienced trauma. Together, we identify practical coping strategies to reduce distress while also exploring the deeper relational and emotional patterns beneath the symptoms.

My approach is collaborative and I like to slow things down and get a clear understanding of the current challenges. Then we work to create therapeutic goals to give our time a clear direction of care. Utilizing interventions from experiential, emotionally focused, narrative, and attachment based theories to navigate the treatment plan. Additionally, I like to utilize mindfulness, somatic exercises and artsy interventions. I believe that authenticity and genuine connection are vital to the therapeutic process and aim to provide a warm and supportive space. Cultivating safety to explore difficult emotions, try new coping strategies, and explore meaning making processes. While I work to keep a balance throughout, therapy does take work going into discomfort and being vulnerable.    

Graduating in December 2021 from Pacific Lutheran University with my Master’s in marriage and family therapy, I learned to do therapy on telehealth in the early days of the pandemic. Wild time to be a baby therapist. With that said, I like to ensure that telehealth is going to be an effective way of engaging with therapy and to make sure I’m also the right fit for you to reach your goals- schedule a consult. I’d be happy to introduce myself and answer any questions you may have.